PAST INDEFINITE TENSE
The past
indefinite tense, also known as simple past tense, is used to indicate a finished
or completed action/task that occurred/happened at a specific
point in time in the past. ‘A specific time’ can be diverse and can
cover a long period of time but it cannot be undeterminable.
Structure:
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Subject + verb in the past form + .
. . . . + adverb of time + . . . . .
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Note: Adverb of
time can also be at the beginning of the sentence. Other sentences can
also refer to that adverb and can use simple past tense.
Example:
Alex went to Mexico last year.
I ate a mango a few minutes ago.
He had an exam yesterday.
I used to travel around the world
when I was fit. (It can also indicate a habit of the past which is not a habit
in the present.)
EXAMPLES OF PAST INDEFINITE TENSE
I wrote articles on different topics.
He read various kinds of books.
They played football in that field.
She preferred coffee to tea.
He went to the library yesterday.
We came for shopping in this market
last week.
We watched a movie in this Cineplex
yesterday.
You used to shop in that market.
I sang different kinds of songs,
especially modern.
I listened to melodious songs last
evening.
He loved to travel around the world.
They played cricket in that field
last week.
The poet wrote a romantic poem.
The lyricist wrote a realistic song
for the program.
Did you go to the concert of
realistic songs?
I could not attend the program
because of my busy schedule.
He was a man of parts.
I helped him to do the task.
We enjoyed the program thoroughly.
I went to the Dhaka International
Trade Fair with my elder brother.
PAST PROGRESSIVE (CONTINUOUS) TENSE
The past
progressive tense is used to demonstrate an action that was
happening in the past for a period of time in a particular context.
The context can be a specific time or another action.
Structures:
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Subject + was/were + verb + ing + . . . . . a specific time
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Alex was sleeping yesterday at 6.30
AM
I was cleaning the dishes at around
5.30-6.30 yesterday.
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When + subject + simple past tense
+ subject + was/were + verb+ing . . . .
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When I went out, you were shouting
from behind.
When Alex came, I was sleeping.
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Subject + was/were + verb+ing + when + subject +
simple past tense . . . .
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You were shouting from behind when
I went outside.
I was sleeping when Alex came home.
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While + subject + was/were + verb+ing + subject + was/were + verb+ing . . . .
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While I was sleeping, you were
making noises.
While Alex was playing, I was
sleeping.
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Note: While can
also be placed between the two clauses, and one of the clauses can be of
simple past tense.
EXAMPLES OF PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
I was writing articles on different
topics.
He was reading various kinds of
books.
They were playing football in that
field.
She was drinking coffee in that
coffee shop.
He was studying in the library.
We were shopping in this market last
week.
We were watching a movie in this
Cineplex yesterday.
You were shopping in that market.
I was singing different kinds of
songs, especially modern.
I was listening to melodious songs
last evening.
He was traveling around the world.
They were playing hockey on that
field last week.
The poet was writing a romantic poem.
The lyricist was writing a realistic
song for the program.
Were you enjoying the concert of
realistic songs?
I was not watching the cricket match
on television.
He was practicing to sing the song
for the program.
I was helping him to do the task.
We were enjoying the program
thoroughly.
I was shopping at the Dhaka
International Trade Fair with my elder brother.
PAST PERFECT TENSE
The past
perfect is used to demonstrate an action that occurred before another action in
the past. There are usually two completed actions in the sentence; one happens
before the other.
Structures:
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Subject + had + past participle
form of the main verb + before + subject + simple past tense . . . .
Alex had completed the task before
the teacher asked.
I had bought a phone before you
came here.
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Before + subject + simple past tense
+ subject + had + past participle form of the verb +. . . .
Before I went to the office, I
finished some business with her.
Before she went home, she had taken
a test.
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Subject + simple past tense + after + subject + had + past
participle . . . .
Mark ate after I had bought him a
bat.
I went to the office after I had
finished some business with her.
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After + subject + had + past
participle + subject + simple past tense . . . .
After I had bought a phone, she
came to the shop.
After she had gone, I came in.
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Note: When can
be used in place of before or after in any of
the above structures.
Examples of Past Perfect Tense
I had written articles on various
topics before he came.
He had read different kinds of books
before you came.
They had played football in that
field before it started to rain.
She had gone to the coffee shop
before she came home.
He had studied in the library before
he came to the class.
I came here after you had left.
We had shopped in that shop before we
came home.
We had watched a movie in that
Cineplex before he came.
You had shopped in that market before
you came home.
I had practiced the songs before the
program started.
I had listened to melodious songs before
I started the work.
He had traveled around the world
before he came to Bangladesh.
They had played hockey in that field
before it started to rain.
The poet had written a romantic poem
before he came to the program.
The lyricist had come to the program
before the minister came.
Had you come to the program before I
came?
I had not watched the cricket match
on television before you came.
He had not practiced the song before
he sang it in the program.
I helped him to do the task after I
had finished my work.
We had taken an ice-cream before we
left the ice-cream parlor.
PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSE
The past
perfect progressive tense is an extension to the past perfect tense
and its structures. Past perfect progressive is used to demonstrate an action
which continued for a specific period of time but stopped before another
action.
Structure:
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Subject + had + been + verb+ing + . . . . . + for/since + . .
. . .+ before + subject + past simple tense
Alan had been playing cricket for
18 years before he retired.
Jack had been living in Sydney
since 2010 before he moved to Melbourne.
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Note: This tense can be replaced by the
past perfect tense withdrawing for/since.
EXAMPLES OF PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
TENSE
I had been writing articles on
various topics for three hours.
He had been reading different kinds
of books since morning.
They had been playing football in
that field before it started to rain.
Jane had been gossiping in the coffee
shop for two hours.
Jeff had been studying in the library
before he came to the class.
We had been shopping in that shop
before we came home.
We had been watching a movie in this
Cineplex for three hours.
You had been shopping in that market
before you came home.
I had been singing different kinds of
songs for an hour.
I had been listening to melodious
songs for two hours.
Tom had been traveling around the
world since the month of December.
They had been playing hockey on that
field for three hours.
The poet had been writing romantic
poems since morning.
The lyricist had been writing
realistic songs since the beginning of his career.
Had you not been enjoying the concert
for three hours?
I had not been watching the cricket
match on television for two hours.
Richard had been practicing to sing
the song since morning.
I had been helping him to do the task
before I started the program.
We had been enjoying the program
thoroughly for three hours.
I had been shopping with my elder
brother in the fair since morning.
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